Melnikova made her WTA Tour debut 2008 at Barcelona and also featured 2009 in the Rosmalen Open, both times in the doubles draw.

She was a finalist at the 2014 Delhi Open in doubles, alongside Elise Mertens.

440 she qualified the 2024 San Diego Open but lost to fellow qualifier Canadian Marina Stakusic who was playing only her second main draw at a WTA Tour event.

She started playing at age seven when introduced to the sport by her dad.

After finishing school in 2008, she moved from Russia to Germany, and she speaks fluently English and German.